Building and building element therefor

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a building structure of a number of construction elements each comprising two plate-like side parts (2) which are mutually connected at a distance parallel to each other by at least one connecting part (3) which protrudes partially outside the periphery of these side parts (2) and fitting between side parts of an adjoining construction element (1). The connecting part (3) extends between the side parts over a distance in the order of magnitude of half the width of the side parts and over a substantially equal distance outside the side parts. The connecting parts (3) of adjoining construction elements (1) preferably leave spaces between each other so that the building structure substantially has one continuous interspace. The interspace can be filled with curing material.

The invention relates to a building structure and a construction elementwith which this building structure can be solidly erected in simplemanner.

Many construction elements are known. In addition to the bricks knownfor a considerable time, large construction elements are known which areintended to enable quicker erection of a building structure. However,large construction elements have the drawback of a greater weight. Thelarge construction elements known today are usually so heavy that theycan no longer be handled by one person without assist means. The profitgained using such large construction elements as a result of more rapidworking is partly nullified because machines have to be used to shiftthe construction elements.

The invention now has for its object to provide a construction elementwhich, while having sizable dimensions, has a limited weight such thatit can still be handled by one person without machines. A buildingstructure manufactured with such construction elements is characterizedin claim 1. A considerable interspace can be present between theplate-like side parts so that a comparatively low weight can still beachieved with considerable outer dimensions of the construction element.Because the connecting part of each construction element protrudes inclose-fitting manner between side parts of an adjoining constructionelement the construction elements of the building structure fit togetherfirmly, whereby a solid construction is obtained. For particularapplications the structure can even be assembled from dry stackedconstruction elements. The cohesion of the construction elements issufficiently great therefor.

A suitable embodiment is herein characterized in claim 3. The curingbinder joins the filler extending through the adjoining spaces betweenthe side parts of the elements to a cohesive whole, whereby theconstruction elements are likewise unified into a cohesive, solidbuilding structure.

A very favourable further development is characterized in claim 5. Thebuilding structure can be erected very easily by stacking theconstruction elements on one another. The interspace is subsequentlyfilled with concrete so that a cohesive, structurally bearing entityresults. Due to the insulating effect of the side parts of theconstruction elements the heat released by curing of the concrete is notreleased, whereby the concrete acquires a high temperature and veryquickly attains a basic strength which enables further construction.

A very favourable development is characterized in claim 6. The part ofthe connecting element protruding outside the side parts extends in ahalf-brick bond at the position of the joint of the adjoining layer ofconstruction elements. The construction elements are hereby accuratelyaligned relative to each other so that without special steps a smooth,straight wall can be erected in exceptionally simple manner.

Achieved in favourable manner with the step of claim 7 is that the uppersurface of the connecting parts of one layer of construction elementscomes to lie substantially at the same level as the lower surface of theconnecting parts of the layer of construction elements lying thereabove.It is hereby possible during erection of a wall of the constructionelements to lay conduits on the connecting parts, optionally after theselatter have been provided with a recess, wherein these conduits are thenfixed by the layer of construction elements to be arranged thereabove.

Application of the step of claim 8 enables building with theconstruction elements of walls which stand at a mutual angle of 90°.

A favourable further development is characterized in claim 9. Theconstruction element characterized therein makes possible a veryattractive rounded corner between two walls.

A suitably manufactured construction element according to the inventionis characterized in claim 10. Plate-like material can generally bemanufactured at relatively low cost so that the construction elementassembled from these plate-like parts can likewise be manufactured atrelatively low cost.

A suitable material for the construction element according to theinvention is characterized in claim 11.

The invention is further elucidated in the following description withreference to the embodiments shown in the figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a construction element according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partly broken away perspective view, partially with explodedparts, of a building structure manufactured with the constructionelements of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view partly corresponding with FIG. 2 of a slightlydifferent embodiment of the building structure according to theinvention.

FIG. 4 shows a partial view with partially exploded parts of anotherembodiment of the building structure according to the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a construction element according toanother embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a partly broken away view of a building structuremanufactured with the construction element of FIG. 5.

The construction element according to the invention shown in FIG. 1comprises two plate-like side parts 2 which are mutually connected at adistance parallel to each other by a connecting part 3. In thispreferred embodiment the connecting part 3 is likewise plate-like andconnected to side parts 2 by glueing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the side parts 2 of construction element 1 arerectangular and the connecting part 3 is arranged midway along the sideparts and extends transversely of the side parts 2 therebetween.Connecting part 3 extends over half the height between side parts 2 andprotrudes substantially the same distance above side parts 2. Connectingpart 3 thus has itself a height which is roughly equal to the height ofside parts 2. Further, the length 4 of construction element 1 is twicethe width 5.

FIG. 2 shows a building structure 10 in the form of a wall erected withconstruction elements 1. The latter are arranged in a half-brick bond.It will be apparent that, of a construction element, the portion of theconnecting part 3 extending above side parts 2 protrudes between theside parts of the construction element located thereabove. Due to thehalf-brick bond the protruding portions of connecting parts 3 protrudeprecisely at the position of the joint between two successiveconstruction elements. The side parts of these successive constructionelements are thereby accurately positioned mutually in line. These sideparts are herein simultaneously positioned in the same plane as the sidepart lying thereunder. This mutual relationship applies to allconstruction elements, so that the side parts 2 of all constructionelements come to lie precisely in one plane. The wall 10 constructed inthis way thus becomes automatically straight and smooth without specialsteps.

Because the connecting parts 3 of the construction elements 1 have thesame height as the side parts 2, the upper sides of the connecting partsof one layer of construction elements lie in practically the same planeas the lower sides of the connecting parts of the layer of constructionelements lying thereabove.

In the wall 10 this property is utilized by laying on the connectingparts of the third layer from the top a conduit 11 which is subsequentlyfixed by the connecting parts 3 of the second layer from the top. Whenthis conduit 11 is a rigid conduit, a recess is formed in the upper partof the connecting parts, for instance by sawing off a corner thereof.The conduit 11 shown in FIG. 2 is an electrical conduit which runs outinto a box 12 and through which electrical wiring is fed to the box 12.If use is made of flexible conduits, recesses do not have to be arrangedin the protruding portions of the connecting parts 3.

As will be apparent from FIG. 2, a very considerable hollow space ispresent between the mutually connecting side parts of the constructionelements. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention thisspace is filled with insulating material 14 after erection of thestructure. This insulating material 14 can be any suitable insulatingmaterial, such as ceramic or glass fibre, foam or the like.

In preference however, this insulating material is a filler pouredseparately into the space and impregnated with a curing binder.Favourable is for instance a filler consisting of chippings of wastewood impregnated with a cement-containing binder.

When the wall 10 has reached the intended height, it is not finished onthe top, but the filler in the form of chippings of waste wood is pouredinto the hollow space in the wall, whereafter thin liquid cement mortaris poured from above over the binder in a quantity such that it can seepto the bottom of the space. After curing of the cement mortar theinsulating material 14 forms a coherent entity with a good insulatingvalue which moreover mutually joins the construction elements to a fullyintegrated whole. The wall 10 can thus be erected by dry stacking andthe mutual cohesion is ensured by the cured filler of the insulatingmaterial as well as by the mechanical cohesion of the mutually engagingconstruction elements.

The wall 10 of FIG. 2 is finished at the top by placing cover elements15 thereon. These cover elements are also positioned accurately by theprotruding portions of the connecting parts 3.

Instead of using cover elements 15 the upper layer of constructionelements can be placed upside down, wherein the protruding portions ofconnecting parts 3 thus protrude downward. The top side of the wall canthen be finished with flat cover elements 15.

The head end of wall 10 is finished with closing elements 16 which havethe same thickness as the connecting parts 3 and are provided on theedges with grooves over half the thickness so that a thickened portionis formed extending between the side parts. At the position of thestaggered construction elements filler elements 17 are arranged whichare half the size of side parts 2. The closing elements 16 can bearranged shifted in height direction for instance through half theheight of the side parts, so that the filler elements lie on one sideagainst a protruding portion of connecting part 3 and on the other sideagainst the projecting portion of the closing element 16 and are thuspositioned accurately in the side surface.

The closing elements 16 can also be used if two mutually perpendicularwalls must be mutually joined at a corner position. The distance betweenthe outer surface of an arranged closing element 16 and the side surfaceof connecting part 3 facing toward the same side is equal to the width 5of a construction element, so that such a corner solution can be formedin a manner usual for a half-brick bond.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative solution for the head end of a wall. AU-shaped closing element 18 is herein applied which fits precisely intothe recesses of toughly half the size of a construction element. On thetop of the wall the protruding connecting parts 3 can be sawn off toenable a flat finish of the top side of the wall.

FIG. 4 shows a corner solution with special construction elements 20,24, whereby a rounded corner is formed. The construction element 20 hastwo plate-like side parts 21, 22 which are not flat but curved relativeto a common centre lying outside the element. The side parts 21 and 22are herein both curved through an angle of 90°. A connecting part 23 isonce again arranged in the middle between the side parts 21.

In order to be able to also continue the half-brick bond at the locationof this corner solution, a second construction element 24 is necessary,the side parts 25, 26 of which have the same form as side parts 21, 22respectively of the construction element 20, with on either side anextension half the size of a side part of a construction element 1. Thisconstruction element 24 is provided with two connecting parts which arearranged staggered in the correct manner in relation to the connectingpart 23 of a construction element 20 lying thereunder. For strength anadditional connecting part can optionally be used as designated withdashed lines in FIG. 4.

Although in the figures a vertical wall is shown in each case asbuilding structure according to the invention, such a structure can alsobe a floor construction. Due to the good cohesion of the constructionelements in the structure according to the invention a good bearingcapacity can be achieved. Because the construction elements can be usedin both vertical walls and horizontal floors a large diversity ofconstructions is possible.

A suitable material for the construction elements is foamed concrete.The construction elements hereby become light in weight and acquire ahigh insulating value. Other materials are of course possible. Ifmaterials are used with a good thermal conductivity the connecting partscan even be designed such that heat transfer via these connecting partsis minimalized. This can be achieved by arranging holes in theseconnecting parts whereby cold bridges are avoided as far as possible.

Another very suitable material for the construction elements accordingto the invention is polystyrene foam. FIG. 5 shows a constructionelement 30 manufactured from expanded polystyrene foam. Constructionelement 30 consists of two plate-like side parts 31 having therebetweena connecting part 32. In this embodiment the connecting part 32 issubstantially square and equal in size to half a side part 31.Connecting part 32 is situated midway along the horizontal dimension ofside part 31 and is shifted upward through half the height thereof.

As shown in FIG. 5, a V-shaped groove 33 is formed in the walls ofconnecting part 32. The interspace between the side parts 31 in abuilding structure 35 manufactured from construction elements 30 can befilled in very suitable manner with concrete 36. As FIG. 6 shows, theconcrete forms a continuous structural part which can absorb the forcesacting on a building structure 35. The outer surfaces of the buildingstructure can be finished with a plaster.

The embodiments of the construction element according to the inventionshown in the figures are only examples and many other options fallwithin the scope of the claims. Each construction element can thuscontain more than one connecting part. A possibility is for instance avariant of the construction element 1 wherein an extra connecting partis arranged at one end and protruding over half the thickness betweenthe side parts. A construction element is further possible wherein theside parts are shifted parallel to their plane relative to each other.One possibility is a shift through half the length of a side part, withtwo connecting parts, each one midway along each of the side parts. Allof these and other possible embodiments are included in the invention aslying within the scope of the claims.

I claim:
 1. Building structure of a number of construction elements eachcomprising two plate-like side parts having dimensions defining an outerperimeter, which are mutually connected at a distance parallel to eachother by at least one connecting part which protrudes partially outsidethe outer perimeter of these side parts in a certain direction and fitsbetween side parts of an adjoining construction element, characterizedin that said connecting part extends between said side parts over adistance in said certain direction of substantially half the dimensionof said side parts and over a substantially equal distance outside saidside parts, and said connecting parts of adjoining construction elementshaving spaces between each other so that the structure substantially hasa plurality of mutually connected interspaces defining one continuousinterspace within the structure.
 2. The building structure of claim 1wherein said connecting part extends between said side parts over adistance in said certain direction greater than half the dimension ofsaid side parts.
 3. The building structure of claim 1 wherein saidconnecting part extends between said side parts over a distance in saidcertain direction less than half the dimension of said side parts. 4.Building structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interspace isfilled with curing material.
 5. Building structure as claimed in claim1, wherein the construction elements are manufactured from aeratedmaterial.
 6. Building structure as claimed in claims 1 wherein theconstruction elements are manufactured from insulating foam material andthe interspace is filled with concrete.
 7. The building structure ofclaim 6 wherein said insulating foam material is expanded polystyrenefoam.
 8. Construction element as claimed in claim 6, wherein said sideparts are rectangular having a length and width and one connecting partis present midway along said side parts which extends transversely ofthe length of said side parts.
 9. Construction element as claimed inclaim 6 wherein said side parts are rectangular having a length andwidth and the length thereof is twice as great as the dimension of theconstruction element transversely of said side parts.
 10. Constructionelement for a building structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said twoplate-like side parts have a curved portion defined by a radius drawnfrom a common center lying outside said element and extended through apredetermined angle.
 11. Construction element for a building structureas claimed in claim 6, wherein said plate-like side parts and at leastone of said connecting parts are joined together by glue.
 12. Thebuilding structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said constructionelements are manufactured from foamed concrete.